Drying machine



y y 1627529'V f May 3 1927' :iv H. H. wlGsLEswom'H Y minne nonna nl Wm 1924y Sheets-sheet. v2

` WmvEssEs.- l 'PROPRIEroRlf @W5 Harr H Wglszwr/f M. 3 1 l 1621529 y 927 H. H. wyssLEswoR'rl-l I Duma MACHINE med lay' 2s. 1924 l s shuts-sheet a A A Q y 1N VEN ToR W I TNESSES TORNE ys.

Pntented Mayl-3,'n1.927. 'I i 'l l y UNITED STATES 1,627,529 PATENT oFFlca maar n, wIcGLEswonrn, or rmmnnnrmn, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNon ro THE rmLAnELrnu. Dame mcmNEnY comm, or rnmanmm, PENNSYL- vANu, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

4Jammie momma.

application mea my as, im. semi No. 716,329.

with capacity for exterior exposure forA stri in and clothin l. Y,

l 'lihis ivention 'furier aims to provide a compact machine of the above typified character of considerable capacity and great eiliciency due to the undulatory or zig-zag course traversed by the form carriers while progressed through the drying enclosure.

. Other objects and attendant advantages inhering to my invention will be hereafter referred to, or become apparent from the followin tical em odiment thereo which has been chosen to illustrate the aggrouped charac-v teristics and mode of operation.

In the further disclosure of this invention reference is had to the `accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings, constituting a part hereof, and in which corresponding features are distinguished by the same designating characters in all the views.

Fig. I, is a side elevation of a hosiery drier conventionally in 'accordance with this invention, with part broken away to disclose certain underlying components.

Fig. II, is a top plan view with parts removed, or in sectlon, to better evidence certain enclosed structural features; and,

Fig. III, is a transverse vertical section e taken approximately on Athe line III-III in the preceding figure.

In accordance with the organization illustrated, which is particularly adapted for the drying of hosiery, I construct a rectangular framework of standard section verticals and rigidly attached horizontals 5, 6 respectively, surrounded' by thermo-insulated` panels 7 to `provide an enclosure 8--in spaced relation 'above the floor level 9-with a roof 10 and bottom 11. This en closure 8 is subdivided by a pluralityof longitudinal partitions 12, in spaced parallelism between the' roof 10 and bottom 11, with opposed elongated apertures 13 therein, and a connected diaphragm 14, whereby a zig-zag drying corridor 15 is provided through which detached form carriers 16, are intermittently progressed, as vhereafter fully explained.

detailed descriptlon of onepracf The roof 10 of the enclosure 8 is fashioned w1thl an invert frusto-pyramidal recession 17, and concentrically below the same, a housin 18 for a horizontally ,rotatable fan 19, 1s tted in the diaphragm 14. This fan 19 1s attached to a verticall shaft journaled in a bearing 20 mounted within the recession 17, and it is adapted to be rotated through the medium ofv a miter couple 21, in turn driven by a countershaft 22, journaled in bearings23, securely attached upon the roof 10 aforesaid. Rotary motion is vtransmitted tothe countershaft 22, by a belt -drive 24- from any convenient source of power, and said countershaft is also fitted with asecond pulley 25 instrumental, through the medium of an endless transmission 26 to impart motion to a horizontal shaft 27, journaled in bearings 28, rigidly supported by the machine sub-framework.

-Referringto the detached form carriers 16 which are adapted to removably support hosiery Iforms 29, it will be seen that the shoe portions 30 thereof are of rectangular configuration to traverse a substantially continuous trackway 31 of opposed coplanal angle sections parallelism below a centrallyaligning race or slot 32 formedin the bottom 11 of the enclosure 8. This -race or slot 32, it is to be remarked, is of a width to admit free rigidly supported in passage of the form carriers 16, `as hereafter 'more fully explained, while the shoes 30 may be fitted with ball castors or rollers to mini- "mize friction. In addition to the foregoing each 4form carrier 16 is provided with a depending stud 33 for co-operative engagement by an associate lug-link 34 in an endless conveyor chain 35, trained about horizontally rotatable and staggered sprocket wheels 36, 36 journaled inbearings 37, mounted in 4a sub-framework 38, interconnected with the main framework of the machine, but affording a laterally projecting substantially rectangular support 39, at the front of the machine. Idler sprocket wheels 40, are journaled in appropriate bearings for horizontal rotation relative to the corlll ners of the support 39, and to establish, a

continuous course for the conveyor chain 35,I

as will be readily a preciated by anyone in the' least acquainte with the art to which this invention appertains.

Progressive motlon is imparted tothe conveyor chain 35, byv means of a worm-Wheel 41 splinedupon the shaft of the sprocket wheel 36, meshing with a Worm 42, on the horizontal shaft 27, hereinbefore referred to; and it will be quite obvious that by suitably proportioning the respective gears involved, said chain 35 may be traveled with a comparatively slow motion for reasons hereafter referred to; or, dwell spaced instrumentalities-not shown-may be substituted so that the conveyor chain is intermittently progressed.

Appropriate vertical radiators 43 are fitted--f'oi' examplewithin the outer lapshereinafter designated the ingress and egress avenues a, b respectively-of the drying corridor 15, through which the heating medium is circulated in accordance with common practice. Furthermore, the front panel 7, of the enclosure 8, is provided with vertical entry and exit slots 441, 4:5 respectively, of suflicient width to permit free passage of the hosiery forms 29 edge-on; While it is noticeable that the aforesaid race or slot 32 is reinforced or beaded at its edges to prevent buckling, as vvell as to afford a better guidance relative to the form carrier clamping upper edges, as will be best understood by an examination of Fig. Ill more particularly. Still further it is to be observed that the endless conveyor 35, is afforded planal support to prevent sag by a channel section guide-Way 46 aligned With its progressive course, as will be readily understood without further detailed descriptive matter.

Having set forth the distinguishing structural features of tliisiinvention, the operation thereof may be briefly summarized as follows. Assuming that rotary motion is communicated to the countershaft 22, it will be apparent that the fan 19 is continuously driven, whereby the drying medium is circulated transversely of the zig-zag corridor 15, Within the enclosure 8, with duplex directional flow, as conventionally indicated by the arrows appearing on Fig. IH. Simultaneously thc transverse shaft 27, will be continuously revolved and through the Worm drive 42, 41 impart comparatively slow progressive motion to the endless conveyor 85, whereby the series of detached form carriers 16-and hosiery forms 29 removably mounted thereon-Will be successively entered through the vertical slot a4, and gradually advanced along the ingress avenue a relative to the drying corridoi' 15. Continued motion will result in the hosiery forms 29 slowly progressing along the race 32, over the trackway 31, along a zig-zag continuous course until they pass the egress venue b, and emerge through the vertical exit slot 45 over the laterally projecting support 39. NOW, if it is assumed, that a stripper-operative is stationed at S and a boarder-operative at B (Fig. ll), as the emerging hosiery forms 29 approach the angular corner of the projecting support 39 it will be obvious that the dried article can be removed with facility at the station 8. Continued movement Will swing the forni 29, around an angle of ninety degrees, wholly clear of the following form advancing to stripping location. Further progression of the conveyor 35, will travel the consecutively stripped forms 29, to the boarding position, B Whereat the attendant operative will rc-clotlie the same With fresh wet hose, prior to said forms re-entering the drying corridoi' 15 by way of the vertical slot 44. incidentally, it may be noted that the reclothing operation is best effected while the form 29 is angularly progressingas shovvn--Whereby greater freedom for operative manipulation' to properly align the hose on the form is afforded.

From the foregoing it is thought that the sequence of operations will be fully appreciated Without further. explanatory matter, while the attendant advantages are obvious Without specific mention. The right is hereby reserved to make such changes and necessary alterations as will adapt my novel drying machine for treating other articles than hosiery; such modificatory evolutions being limited, however, to the reasonable scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

1. A drying machine comprising an enclosure having apertured. partitions and a connected diaphragm affording a vertical drying corridor, detached form carriers traversible edge-on over a zig-zag course through said corridor in sequential alignnient, and a horizontally traveling conveyor for progressing said carriers through the enclosure withV an interval of exterior exv posure for the purposes specified.

2. In a drying machine, an enclosure having spaced partitions and a connected diaphragm providing a vertical circuitous drying corridor. a series of detached form vcarriers traversible edge-on though the corridor in aligned sequence, a horizontally traveling conveyor for progressing said form carriers through the enclosure with an interval of exterior exposure, and means circulating a drying medium transversely of tlie-circuitoiis corridor with duplex-directional floW.

3. In a drying machine, an enclosure having parallel partitions With a connecting diaphragm affording a vertical drying corridor, said partitions having opposed elongated apertures therein, individual form carriers traversible therethrough along a zig-zag path and a horizontally operating conveyor effective to sequentially progress the form carriers through the drying corridor with an 4mangues interval of exterior exposure for the purposes `specified..

'individual form carriersA traversible therethrough alonla zig-zag path, a horizontally operative en ess conveyor eective to' sequentially progress the form carriers in aligned vertical relation throu h the drying' corridor and over` a substantialy rectangular' course exterior thereto to effect stripping and reclothing, and means circulating ka drying medium transversely of the aforesaid cqrrl dor with duplex-directional flow.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto lsigned my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl-l vania, this 23rd day of May, 1924.

HARRY H. WIGGLESWORTH. 

